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A state Senate committee delayed voting on legislation that would allow guns on college campuses in Florida after the father of Ashley Cowie, an FSU coed killed in a January shooting accident in a fraternity asked them to think twice.

Dr. Robert Cowie of Jacksonville says he came to testify for his daughters sake.

“I think there is no logical reason why a student should carry a gun on a college campus” the father told lawmakers. “And I think that if the voters in their home districts understand what the Senators are being faced to vote upon they will  be overwhelmed emails, calls and letters”.

The legislation will likely come before the committee in the near future.

Supporters of building a high speed rail from Tampa to Orlando have until Friday to convince the feds to fork over 2.4 billion federal dollars Governor Rick Scott turned down last week. As Whitney Ray tells us, the goal is to convince the governor to change his mind or get the feds to give the money to an outside government entity.

The state is speeding toward a deadline to claim 2.4 billion federal dollars for high speed rail. The project was sidetracked last week when Governor Rick Scott told the feds thanks but no thanks.

US Senator Bill Nelson is trying to change Scott’s mind. He spoke with the governor over the weekend and Monday.

“I spoke with Senator Nelson at the Daytona 500 and saw him at the event today. I remain convinced that there is no way that they can do a project that the state taxpayers are not going to be on the hook for,” said Scott.

Now it’s up to rail backers to prove him wrong. Several plans are in the works to circumvent the government. But the clock’s ticking, the US Department of Transportation Secretary has given Florida until Friday to come up with an alternative plan. It’s not a lot of time to come up with a plan.

“Over the next few days it’s critical that the Governor and even state legislative leadership hear from the people of Florida and know how important this rail project is,” said Brad Ashwell with Florida PIRG.

State Senator Bill Montford is one of 26 senators that signed a letter asking the US DOT to go around Scott.

“I’m cautiously optimistic, but I also know that we’re fighting an uphill battle with it and we realize that,” said Montford.

But support for the senate plan is waning. Monday one senator asked to have his name removed from the letter. The US Department of Transportation officials are planning a trip to Florida maybe as soon as tomorrow to talk to state officials about taking the money. There are no details on the trip as of yet.

Two former foster kids, twins, are at the center of a fact finding mission because their cries for help were never answered. 10 year old Nubia Doctor was found dead, wrapped in plastic on Valentine’s Day. Her brother Victor is in the hospital recovering from chemical burns. Four calls were made to the state’s abuse hotline on their behalf. Governor Rick Scott called the situation a tragedy.
“It’s an absolute tragedy and our secretary Wilkins is doing an investigation. He is working with law enforcement to understand exactly what happened and also understand what procedures ought to be changed to make sure this doesn’t happen again. But it’s an absolute tragedy,” said Scott.

It happened in Miami. The man who adopted the twins has been charged with abuse and attempted murder for the burns on Victor. No charges have been brought in Nubia’s case.

It’s no Wisconsin, but there is disagreement in Florida between state lawmakers and the state workers union. The state and AFSME are at an impasse over health care and a plan that would allow agency heads to give 5-thousand dollar bonuses to selected workers. AFSME spokesman Doug Martin says their negotiations have been more civil than what’s going on in Wisconsin.

“It’s a much different situation down in Florida. However, if the Governor really goes after thousands of people and you know goes after making people pay thousands of dollars into their health and retirement plans and really cuts people’s pay by 5, 10 percent then that could upset people but we’re not at that point, these are proposals,” said Martin.

Union leaders meet with state lawmakers this afternoon to try and work out their differences. AFSME will take on other issues like state pensions and layoffs during the regular session in March.

Florida lawmakers spent more than four hours today listening to testimony on why or why not changes should be made to state and local pension plans. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, lawmakers acknowledge the state retirement system is one of the best, but it is being lumped in with some local plans that are in trouble.

Paul Brewer and his wife both work for the state. After 21 years, he is making about 25 thousand dollars a year. Neither he or his wife will be rich when they retire.

“She’ll be making like 1200 dollars a month,” Brewer said. “Our insurance for the family will probably run 900 dollars a month. So I don’t know how on 10 dollars a day, I guess somehow we’ll survive.”

Proposed changes include ending the defined benefit program and requiring employee contributions. Most employees see it as a pay cut.

This Senate Committee got an earful from firemen…

“We have taken our fair share of salary cuts, benefit cuts,” fireman Omar Blanco said.

…from this Broward county prosecutor.

“I call it what it is. It is a tax,” prosecutor Anita White said.

…and this Tallahassee CPA.

“So I say, take on the hard issue of tax reform and don’t do it on pensioners’ backs,” CPA Michele Ceci said.

Only about half the changes the governor wants are even in the senate bill. That means there is room for a lot of change.

The changes on the table don’t go far enough for this Punta Gorda businessman.

“Support the draconian Governor Scott Bill. Thank you,” Robin Stubbins said.

In the end, lawmakers acknowledged the state pension fund is sound. But some local funds are not. But that won’t stop them from trying to make employees contribute anyway.

“We have a four billion dollar budget hole,” Sen. Jeremy Ring (D-Margate) said.

Committee votes are scheduled for next week.

The state currently pays about ten cents into the pension fund for every dollar it pays in salary. It’s about double that for police, fire and other special risk categories.

More promises tonight from the man in charge of making whole the victims of the BP oil spill. State lawmakers called claims Czar Ken Feinberg to Tallahassee today to answer question about ongoing problems in the claims process. As Whitney Ray tells us, Feinberg says a final revamp of the system will resolve most of the problems, but those still seeking claims have heard that line before.

Dozens of fishermen, hoteliers and tourism shop owners poured into the state capitol Friday to see the man they say owes them money.
Fisherman Jack Ritchie’s life was turned upside down last summer when the BP oil spill stopped him from casting his nets.

“People are getting there homes foreclosed on and losing their cars. Which is…I’m in that situation right now,” said Ritchie.

BP Claims Czar Ken Feinberg faced a panel of frustrated lawmakers searching for answers about claims denied without explanation and a lack of transparency.

From the onset Feinberg told lawmakers things were going to change, but few in the audience were buying it. A group of hotel owners left the meeting angry. They say Feinberg was giving lawmakers the same runaround they’ve been hearing for six months.

“Just like a broken record…same answers. Same answers, and were tired of it,” said Nash Patel, a spokesman for the hotel owners.

While the group demonstrated outside the meeting, back inside Kathryn Birren tried to find out why her claim was paid, but her husband’s identical claim was denied.

“In the last two months we’ve lost over 450 thousand dollars on the west coast of Florida,” Birren told Feinberg.

“Ma’am. I can’t here and now review that claim. I think it is unfortunate if what you say is true,” said Feinberg.

During his two hours of testimony Fienberg promised to revamp the claims process, with changes in place by mid-March. Throughout the committee meeting Feinberg reassured lawmakers that a final rule he plans to implement over the next three weeks will bring Washington accountants and staff to Florida’s 32 claims offices to meet with claimants one-on-one about their cases.

The race is on to claim the high speed rail money Governor Rick Scott told the Federal government the state didn’t want. Now Florida’s congressional delegation is working with cities in counties in Central Florida to come up with a plan to secure the 2.4 billion dollars. As Whitney Ray tells us, the legislature could snub Scott and put rail in their budget, but that’s not likely to happen.

State lawmakers say Governor Rick Scott is overstepping his authority by turning down federal money for high speed rail.

“There’s a proper process that stays within the constitution that I think is important,” said State Senator JD Alexander.

They wanted a say so, and could in fact fund rail in their budget, but for now they’re standing down because a veto would be a certainty.

“I don’t believe the votes are in the Florida legislature to override the governor,” said State Senator Mike Fasano.

With this announcement Wednesday…

“Today I’m announcing my decision to reject the Obama’s Administration’s plan to partially fund the costly Tampa to Orlando high speed rail project,” said Rick Scott Wednesday.

The money grab began. Now California and New York want the 2.4 Billion dollars the feds wanted to give to Florida for a rail system from Orlando to Tampa… but other Florida officials say not so fast.

Some members of Florida’s Congressional Delegation say the governor is on the wrong side of the tracks. They’re working with the US Department of Transportation to see if they can go around the governor. Sen. Bill Nelson is leading the charge.

“We can not afford to let this opportunity pass us by,” said Nelson.

Tampa and South Florida government organizations are willing to oversee the project. Consumer Groups are supporting his efforts.

“It was a good deal. The federal government was going to cover 90 percent of the cost. Other states that turned away the federal money didn’t’ have that same deal,” said Brad Ashwell with Florida PIRG.

If an agreement isn’t reached soon, the train will leave the tracks without Florida… and the 2.4 billion federal dollars will create thousand of jobs in another state.

This afternoon a letter signed by 26 Florida Senators was sent to US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood. The letter asks him to work with the Florida Statewide Passenger Rail Commission to bring the project to Florida. The commission was created by the legislature in 2009.

Governor Rick Scott is boycotting the Senate Criminal Justice Appropriations Committee because of the committee’s chairman. State Senator Mike Fasano chairs that committee. Earlier this week Fasano scared off Scott’s budget writers when he pressed hard for answers about the governor’s plan to eliminate 600 prison guard positions. Fasano says he was simply doing his job.

“He has ordered them not to come before our committee because our committee and I ask tough questions. I have a responsibility to my constituents back home to ask those tough questions when we are trying to balance our budget. I would hope they would reconsider come, work with us as we try to develop the state’s budget,” said Fasano.

State Senator JD Alexander has asked Fasano to apologize to Scott’s staff. Fasano has asked Scott’s staff to toughen up.

Governor Rick Scott says he will return more than 2 billion dollars the Federal government was giving Florida for a high speed rail line. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, reaction has been swift and angry.

Florida has flirted with high speed rail since 1983 when then-Governor Bob Graham traveled to Japan.

The latest plan wold have built a system between Tampa and Orlando, with federal and private money. Referring to taxpayers as investors, Governor Rick Scott says the plan  is just too risky.

“The truth is, this plan would be far too costly to taxpayers. And I believe the risks far outweigh the benefits,” Scott said.

Scott questioned ridership studies and accused the Obama administration of reckless spending. But unions, who supported the plan, say Florida’s jobs governor is anything but.

“There is a total of 48,000 jobs anticipated to have been created as spin-off from all the different economic activity that would take place whenever you create some type of new infrastructure like high-speed rail,” Rich Templin with the Florida AFL-CIO said.

Scott’s decision leaves in limbo a commuter rail system in Central Florida. That system was supposed to be a feeder for high-speed rail.

Scott put the commuter rail contracts on hold shortly after taking office.

Republican and Democratic legislators who represent both ends of the proposed line are criticizing the decision.

“Oh, I’m very concerned,” Rep. Dwayne Taylor (D-Volusia County) said. “Because we worked very hard to try to secure those dollars because we knew that this would mean jobs for the citizens of our state.”

Legislative leadership was publicly muted on the give back, but privately unhappy. They were given only 5 minutes advance notice of the decision.

Florida could become the first state to drop Medicaid coverage. The rising cost of the entitlement program costs Florida taxpayers 21 billion dollars a year. As Whitney Ray tells lawmakers are proposing changes to lower the cost and they plan to tell the feds take it or leave it.

Nearly three million Floridians rely on Medicaid for their health care at a cost of 21 billion dollars to Florida taxpayers. A little more than half comes from the feds, but in order to receive the matching dollars the state has to follow some rules.

Rules Republican lawmakers say cost the state too much money.

“The current system is unsustainable. We have a situation where Washington has really commandeered our state budget,” said Senator Joe Negron, the lawmakers in charge of the reform legislation.

Lawmakers will release a plan to reform Medicaid Thursday. It will force some recipients into managed care programs, eliminate some optional benefits and provide incentives to stop drinking and smoking.

“We say in the bill that we expect them to be engaged in a smoking sensation program that’s medically directed,” said Senator Don Gaetz, a Republican from Niceville.

Advocates for low income families support some of the changes, but fear reform will mean a major reduction in benefits.

“I’m not sure how you get to the reduction if you’re not cutting services,” said Karen Woodall, the Director of the Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy.

Looming are changes brought on by the new federal health care laws that will require Florida to allow another two million people onto it’s Medicaid rolls.

Lawmakers fear that would ruin the budget. If the feds don’t like their plan for reform, lawmakers are prepared to tell Washington they no longer want to offer the entitlement program. Only some of the details about the reform legislation are known right now. The entire plan will be unveiled tomorrow in Tallahassee. It’s expected to cut Medicaid costs by a billion dollars next year.

Two hundred volunteers, breast cancer survivors and family members of those who lost the struggle with the disease are raising awareness about early detection.

Today in Tallahassee, the American Cancer Society called the activists to the steps of the State Capitol. They’re asking for more funding for the state’s Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, also known as the Mary Brogan Act—In honor of Brogan who died of the disease. Her husband, Chancellor of the University System’s Board of Governors Frank Brogan, says her bravery facing breast cancer should inspire everyone touched by the disease.

“I watched this amazing woman travel the state of Florida often times on behalf of the American Cancer Society doing what she did best; teaching, teaching women about early protection,” said Brogan.

At this time the program only serves eight percent of at-need women in the state, leaving 119,000 women unable to receive early protection screening. Florida currently ranks third in both the number of cancer cases and deaths each year.

Members of Florida’s Legislative Black Caucus are calling on Governor Rick Scott to appoint a minority to a cabinet level position.

So far all of Scott’s appointments have been white. The issue was brought up yesterday when Scott invited the lawmakers to the Governor’s Mansion for lunch. During the lunch Scott insinuated that all the lawmakers came from meager means. Black Caucus Leader Gary Siplin calls the governor’s remarks insensitive.

“Some members like me take offense to that because quite frankly all black folks are not poor, all black folks have not lived in public housing as I have so that’s an rightly unjustifiable so but he has a right to express his opinion just as I have a right to express my opinion,” said Siplin.

The caucus wants to work with the Scott to appoint a black agency head. They’ve set up a website to help with the search.

By a vote of eight to one today, a Senate committee has approved legislation ending teacher tenure and creating performance or merit pay. But many questions remain over how the measure will be implemented.

Last year lawmakers were lambasted because they left teachers out of the merit pay discussions.  Today’s meeting began at 8:00 EST and lasted two hours, a time when most public school teachers are at work. Rewarding teachers who do a good job or getting rid of those who don’t, is a top legislative priority. Legislation creating merit pay and ending tenure cleared a key committee by an 8 to 1 vote.  Afterwards, the bills sponsor and the lone no vote talked it over. “Its kind of a racist thing; black kids or the poor kids can’t do well,”said Sen. Stephen Wise of Jacksonville.

Lakeland’s Paula Dockery is concerned the bill doesn’t take into consideration the conditions at a students home. “The fact that they list socio-economic status is something can not be considered. I think we should work on that,” she said.

One of the biggest problems is that there is just no cash for merit pay. Left unanswered are questions about where the money will come from to pay for new tests and the money to pay teachers more. Even the bills sponsor says finding the cash isn’t his job.

“It would really go into effect in 2014. By then I think that the appropriations committee will have to deal with it. I’m not going to be here in 2014, said Sen. Wise. But the Florida Education Association says the money can only come from one place. Andy Ford, FEA President says, “We could be looking at the end of art, music, physical education. We could be looking at cuts in athletics. Anything that does not fall in line with the accountability system could be on the cutting block.”

The legislation is on a fast track to be one of the first bills passed by lawmakers when their session begins in March.

Complaints over BP’s Claims process are reaching a fever pitch and state lawmakers in Florida have had enough. As Whitney Ray tells us, they’ve invited the BP Claims Czar to Tallahassee to find out why Florida businesses aren’t getting paid.

Fed up because Floridians aren’t getting paid for the economic mess the BP oil spill created Representative Doug Broxson headed to Ohio.

That’s where BP hired eight hundred operators to handle Florida claims. Broxson says that’s just one of the problems with the way the oil giant is handling claims.

“It’s a beautiful plan that’s been put together by a masterful group of people to frustrate the claimants,” said Broxson.

Broxson will join state lawmakers Friday as they try to find out why the BP claims process is broken and how Claims Czar Ken Feinberg plans to fix it.

State lawmakers want to know why identical claims are often treated differently.

Carol Dover, President of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association says some of her members are happy with the process, but others are furious.

“Many of them haven’t survived. I mean you can turn around its about every week, we find another either restaurant or hotel that’s closing or letting staff go,” said Dover.

Feinberg has control of a 20 billion dollar fund to pay people hurt financially by the spill. Half a million people have filed claims… almost one in two have been denied. Governor Rick Scott is among those who want answers.

“We have to come up with a process where people feel comfortable that… they know how to do it, where the money is coming from because there are variety of places where monies coming from and that we can tract how he is doing,” said Scott.
The Governor and State Lawmakers want refrain from finger pointing when Finberg visits Tallahassee Friday, but with Floridians losing their jobs because of BP’s not making good on its promise… it’s likely to get heated.

The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association has set up a hotline for people seeking legal advice over mishandled claims. The advice if free to the association’s members. The website is www.weitzlux.com/florida-restaurant-oil-spill-lawyers_1962249.html

Governor Rick Scott isn’t shying away from his plans to gut the Department of Community Affairs. Today Scott toured the department that oversees development in Florida. Scott’s budget calls a 600 million dollar cut to DCA’s nearly 750 million dollar budget. It also calls for layoffs. Scott answered question from state workers about his plan to eliminate 86-hundred positions statewide. Afterward he told reporters why changes were needed to the department that regulates growth. Scott says revamping the Department will attract more business to the state.